Daigaku imo (Japanese candied sweet potato)
Crisp edged roasted sweet potato chunks glazed in a shiny, sticky caramel and scattered with black sesame seeds.
- Time50 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.55 a head
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Cut the sweet potatoes into 3 cm wedges or chunks, turning as you cut so the shapes are chunky and uneven.
- 2
Toss with the oil and spread on a lined tray. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until golden outside and soft in the middle.
27 min 30 s - 3
Just before they are done, put the sugar and water in a wide non stick pan over a medium heat. Do not stir, just swirl, until it bubbles and turns light amber, about 4 minutes.
4 min - 4
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the tamari, the pinch of salt and half the sesame seeds. It will spit, so stand back.
- 5
Add the roasted sweet potato and toss quickly to coat every piece in the glaze.
- 6
Tip onto baking paper, scatter over the rest of the sesame seeds and leave to cool for 5 minutes so the glaze sets crisp.
5 min - 7
Eat warm or cold, with Japanese green tea.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
